A Knightly Stranger
by SilverLover8169
Summary: What if Regina had never cast the curse that took everyone to Storybrooke? If Regina had gone into exile rather than become like her mother, and Emma had grown up as a princess their lives would have been very different. Time to find out just how different. Emma is younger and never had Henry. Snow is queen and Regina is in exile. Mature rating for explicit sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Emma stared in dismay at the pile of ruffles and fluff on her bed. She knew as a princess that she should love the pretty frilly constructions that her mother had had made for her.

But in all honesty, she would much rather be wearing armor and riding at her father's side as he inspected the troops.

The royal ball was tomorrow, her royal ball in fact.

Queen Snow was hopping her only child would meet a nice young nobleman and fall in love.

Too bad Emma had other things in mind.

The princess took one last look at the pastel rainbow of dresses and ran for the castle armory.

After taking an old set of practice armor and donning it she made her way to the stables and saddled her favorite mount.

Lexaar, her stallion, who had been a birthday present from the king of a neighboring kingdom, seemed to sense something was up and stayed particularly quiet while Emma saddled him and rode out through the open castle gates.

Leaving the castle was easier than Emma had expected.

Of course since the kingdom wasn't at war, and Emma had kept the visor of her stolen helmet down, no one would have reason to know that under the old armor was one runaway princess.

Snorting quietly to herself Emma acknowledged that the real trouble would come when she came home and had to explain to her mother why she had missed her own ball.

Once she was away from the castle she urged Lexaar into a full gallop, heading for the edge of the kingdom as fast as she could.

She didn't want to be found and brought back in time for the ball if, or she should say, when her mother sent out an escort to bring her home.

It wasn't just the frilly dresses that had sent her running. It was also the thought of being expected to find a man to marry.

Emma did want to marry one day, but she wouldn't be looking for a nobleman to be her life-long partner and love . . .

Emma's romantic tastes simply ran to more "delicate" partners, and had for as long as she could remember.

But she definitely wasn't ready to try and tell her mother the queen.

While her mother was a fair queen, in every sense of the word, Emma still worried about what she might say or do when she found out that her daughter preferred women as her lovers.

After all, everyone knew that kingdoms rose and fell on things like succession and heirs.

Emma sighed as she rode hard for the edge of the Enchanted Kingdom.

While liking women wasn't exactly outlawed, it wasn't something you saw much of either.

Emma had even witnessed a couple of times where a display of that sort had earned the poor woman a beating by a male relative.

If she ever became queen that was the first thing she would change.

No one should ever be persecuted for who they loved.

Lexaar was fast and his long legged gait devoured the miles with ease so that they reached the edge of the kingdom quickly.

The runaway princess relaxed almost immediately once they crossed out of her kingdom.

Slowing her horse to a gentle walk she let him meander where he wanted as he cooled down.

The forest was quiet, the only sounds that of animals and running water a ways off.

Her mind was anything but quiet.

She was only twenty-three, why should she have to worry about getting married at all?

Much less to a man she would never be able to truly love?

She, and every other person in the kingdom knew the story of her parents meeting and falling in love.

She had heard it was even told to children in other kingdoms as a bedtime tale.

The story of how true love could conquer all evil, including dark magic.

It was all Emma had ever wanted. To find someone to love, and who would love her, like that.

When she was younger she had tried to like boys, because that was what she was raised to see as the natural way of things. She had experimented and given it her best, but the feelings just weren't there. At least not when she was with a boy.

It had been very confusing to her that she had found herself looking at girls while they talked of kissing a boy for the first time and all she could think of was how soft their lips would be against hers.

In time Emma had learned to be discrete and to see the girls who would enjoy her company.

It was a good thing the castle was so huge, it provided plenty of places for trysts where no one would accidentally stumble upon her and her partner.

She had also been very careful to avoid any woman who worked in the castle, for fear that one might grow jealous when she moved on and let her secret slip.

Oh, Emma had never been cruel in leaving her lovers, but she knew that just because she was ready to move on didn't mean that they were.

In her kindness and compassion Emma was very much her parent's daughter.

But she was also so much more.

After a while her wandering horse brought them to the edge of the stream she had heard earlier. Emma dismounted and removed her helmet, drinking from the stream first to be sure it was fresh before allowing Lexaar to have his fill.

As Emma relaxed, thinking of finding a place to spend the night, she heard the sound of hoofs a short ways upstream. Lexaar flicked and ear towards the sounds but otherwise didn't react. Ever her faithful companion Emma thought to herself as she scanned the stream banks for the horse she had heard and its rider.

Moments later a woman appeared riding a butterscotch colored gelding.

Her long dark hair was piled carefully atop her head and she held herself with the bearing of a noblewoman of rank and privilege, but her worn clothing and lack of attendants told another tale.

The reason for her presence at the stream became apparent as she dismounted and began to fill large water-skins and hang them from the back of her saddle.

No, this was no noblewoman, at least not anymore Emma thought as she watched the other woman.

As she watched a sudden movement in the trees caught her attention, before she could could move three bandits dropped out of the trees beside the stream and surrounded the dark haired woman.

Without thinking Emma put her helmet back on and jumped onto Lexaar's back, charging the bandits.

This might not be her kingdom but she wouldn't stand by and let an innocent woman be robbed and possibly hurt, her parents had definitely raised her better than that.

*****Regina's P O V*****

Having lived in exile for the last twenty-four years Regina knew when there were bandits, or worse, roaming her little patch of the woods. She simply hadn't seen a reason to do anything about it until they decided to trouble her.

Rising from beside the stream as the bandits surrounded her Regina was about to call up a fireball to singe their nether parts and send them running when out of nowhere a lone knight atop a steel gray stallion charged them.

Regina lowered her hand and watched, wondering who could be fool enough to want to rescue her.

There weren't many who lived beyond the edge of the enchanted forest and most of them knew enough of her to leave her alone.

So perhaps this knight was lost, at the least he was a long ways from home.

The knight sent the first of her attackers sprawling face first into the mud with a boot to the lower back, where he hit his head on a rock and was knocked unconscious then turned to the other two drawing his sword.

The biggest of the remaining bandits rushed the knight in anger. The knight only swatted him with the flat of the blade and then jugged him on the head with the hilt as he stumbled, the bandit staggered and fell into the stream.

The last man circled slowly one way and then the other assessing the knight carefully before attacking in a flurry of moves in a bid to confuse and disorient the knight.

The first bandit, having recovered, took time to get back on his feet, and moved to flank the lone knight. The knight dismounted and faced both opponents without a trace of fear in his stance.

With the knight off his horse Regina could see that he was a smallish man, barely taller than she was and slender of build. For a moment she worried that he might be outmatched. Then she remembered that she didn't care what happened to this foolish, lost knight.

Regina didn't care about anyone anymore.

Within moments both the bandits were bleeding from several cuts and the knight still stood unharmed. Realizing that it was they who were outmatched the men turn and flee, stopping only long enough to fish their companion out of the stream.

Regina watches with a small smile as the men disappear into the forest, limping.

*****Emma's P O V*****

After watching the trio vanish into the forest Emma turns to the woman.

Up close she sees that while she is a little older than Emma herself the woman she has just saved is beautiful.

Deep brown eyes, a nearly heart shaped face, and lush full lips. Her beauty unmarred by the small scar on her upper lip. Emma takes a moment to catch her breath before speaking, glad her helmet hides the look of want on her face as she stares at the older woman.

"Are you okay m'lady?" she asks.

The woman visibly starts at the sound of a female voice where she obviously wasn't expecting it.

"Yes, I . . . thank you, I'm fine" she replies after a moment.

Lifting her visor Emma starts forward, "here, let me help with those" she says gesturing to the empty water-skins.

"That's not necessary, I can manage on my own" the dark haired woman replies, her tone slightly cooler than before.

"Well,I'm sure you can, but it doesn't mean you have to" Emma said as she took up an empty skin and moved to the stream's edge.

She knew that pride was often very hard to swallow so she wouldn't let that get in the way of being nice to the lady. Emma didn't look up as the woman knelt beside her to fill another water-skin.

"again, thank you, knight?" the woman said, softer this time.

"Emma, just call me Emma"

"Emma" the woman repeated "I'm . . Gina" she replied hesitating a moment.

Emma could've kicked herself for giving her real name, what if this woman recognized who she was?

Her worries about her own name kept her from noticing or wondering at the other woman's hesitation in giving her name.

As they fill the remaining water-skins the princess sneaks glances at Gina from under lowered lashes.

Gina really is beautiful, but Emma knows that most likely she wouldn't welcome her advances.

"Let me escort you home" Emma all but blurts as they secure the last of the water-skins onto the saddle of Gina's horse.

Gina looks up, again surprised at the offer "if you wish" she answers cautiously.

Together the two mount their horses and head in the direction of Gina's home, the opposite direction of Emma's.

As they ride through the lengthening shadows of the forest the two strike up a conversation.

Each woman, for her own reasons, making an effort to keep well away from anything but light topics. Nevertheless they find the light talking enjoyable and fall into an easy rhythm with each other.

Midway through their ride a snake slithers into the path in front of them causing Gina's horse to spook and veer off the path. Before she can rein him in they are in the trees with low branches tangling in her long hair, caught, Gina struggles to hold her horse and free her hair.

Seeing that Gina is okay Emma turns to deal with the serpent, but before she can act Lexaar gives a snort and brings his huge front hooves down on the reptile's head, crushing it. "Good boy" she murmurs before nudging him over so she can help her new friend free her hair.

Taking a length of hair in her hand Emma almost moans, Gina's hair fells like silk caressing her palm. She knows she needs to untangle the woman's hair and put some distance between them but oh god touching her feels good.

As she works their legs brush against each other and Emma has to take a deep breath to steady herself, and to keep from touching said leg.

*****Regina's P O V*****

Regina freezes, holding absolutely still as Emma works to untangle the low branches from her long hair. She can hardly breathe as she feels an unexpected warmth in a part of her she had nearly forgotten existed.

"Just hold on, I've almost got it" Emma murmurs almost in her ear.

She only just manages to suppress the shiver that Emma's voice in her ear causes her. Oh god, its been so long since anyone touched me Regina thought.

Her own cold caresses certainly didn't count. Now it was almost torture being so close to a beautiful woman and knowing, just knowing, that she wouldn't see Regina in that way.

It was enough that Emma wasn't recoiling and spitting on her, the way anyone who knew her for who she really was would have done, it Had to be enough. She resolved to take comfort in Emma's kindness and forget about anything more with the woman.

*****Emma's P O V*****

As the last strands of Gina's hair slip free of the tree branches Emma backs away so fast it nearly makes her dizzy. If she didn't move away from the woman she was going to kiss her, and not a friendly peck on the cheek either.

"Well" the dark haired woman said "I seem to be developing a habit of thanking you"

Returning to the path both women are quiet, neither sure what they might say without betraying what they have just felt.

Some while later the path opens into a small clearing with a modest sized stone cottage in it.

To either side of the door are small beds of well tended roses and off to the side is a vegetable garden and a few fruit trees protected by a woven fence.

After helping Gina unburden her horse of the water-skins they emptied them into a large pottery barrel with a plugged spout near the bottom.

When Emma turned to leave Gina laid a hand on her arm, Emma stilled immediately.

"Stay, please . . . I mean, the least I can do is feed you after the service you have done me today" Gina said softly.

Emma smiled uncertainly "Thank you, a hot meal would be very nice"

God, all she wanted to do was kiss Gina, but she just couldn't, and she couldn't force herself to leave either, not when Gina had asked her to stay for supper.

It was apparent that Gina lived alone, though why was a mystery. Surely a woman that beautiful should be married, but Emma couldn't ask her that question, not without opening herself up to questions as well.

And she really couldn't let Gina find out that she was the princess.

As they had ridden to the cottage Emma had realized just what part of the realm they were in.

In her headlong flight from the castle she hadn't given a thought to which direction she was going in or where she would end up.

This region was mostly home to exiles and outcasts. Many of whom had been sent there by her parents.

When Gina set to work cooking Emma had offered to help, only to be told she should relax as a guest should. And it seemed Gina certainly knew her way around a kitchen.

That left the princess with nothing to do but keep up the light chatter, and think.

Among the known exiles there were few who could be considered truly dangerous.

Suddenly a name leaped out at her from that short list of very dangerous people.

She stopped short in her thoughts. It couldn't be. It really couldn't be the same person. The woman in front of her, who was cooking for her, who she was fast developing feelings for, could not be the villain of her parents stories.

Wouldn't Regina, the evil queen, be much older now?

The woman in front of her barely looked older than her.

Emma shook her head, this was not the villain she had heard so much about growing up.

All her life she had heard stories of the evil queen. She was supposed to be beautiful, cunning, and absolutely lethal. Yet the woman she had just spent a good portion of the afternoon with had never once offered her so much as an insult, let alone hurt her.

Emma didn't want to believe it. But . . . Regina, Gina; the coincidence was just too big to ignore completely.

Regina had been exiled from the kingdom before Emma was ever born. Would she even know that Snow White had a daughter?

And surely no one, not even Regina, could have known that Emma would end up on the edges of the exiles forest. Even Emma herself hadn't had a destination in mind when she left the castle.

She had just needed to escape from the castle and the torture that the royal ball had promised to be for her.

The same thoughts chased through the princess' head as Gina cooked, but one thought kept pushing all the rest out. She wanted to kiss her.

Possibilities and the past be damned!

Emma didn't care who anyone else might see this woman as, to her she was Gina, the woman she wanted with a building desperation like none she had ever felt.

The blonde just couldn't take her eyes off the other woman.

*****Regina's P O V*****

Regina could feel the blonde's green eyes fixed on her as she cooked and it made her feel warm.

Could it be she was wrong and Emma might actually be attracted to her?

If she tried to kiss her, would Emma allow it? More, would Emma enjoy it?

Regina tamped down her emotions hard. It was bad enough she felt like a youngster with her first crush. She would not allow herself to blush and give away her feelings, not until she had a better idea of how they would be received.

When it came time to place the food on the table Regina couldn't resist brushing against Emma a couple of times then turning away and sneaking a glance to see her reaction. The slight shiver the blonde tried, and failed, to hide was well worth it.

Her lips curled in a satisfied smile.

While dinner was a simple meat and potatoes roasted with fresh garden herbs the undercurrents of the conversation and body language each woman was putting off, were anything but simple.

"How is it that a woman like you comes to be riding through the Exile's Forrest in full armor?" Gina asked.

"I was on my way to visit family on the northern edge of the kingdom. And felt it would be safer if I traveled as a knight, rather than a woman alone." Emma answered smoothly.

It was only half a lie.

That was as deep as either woman dared to speak for the duration of the meal.

It was a shame neither woman could see the not so subtle hints that even a casual observer would have seen easily.

But both women were far too busy second guessing themselves to see that the other was trying to find out just how interested she might be.

The result was that by the end of dinner they were both on the verge of jumping the other.

*****Emma's P O V*****

When dinner was finally finished Emma was frustrated as hell and ready to pop.

She just needed to do it and get it over with.

If Gina rejected her that would be that, it was the waiting that was killing her.

As they set the last of the dishes beside the wash tub Gina brushed against her again. This time however Emma didn't give her the chance to turn and move away.

Instead, this time the blonde crowded the other woman back against the counter and kissed her.

As Emma kissed Gina all she could think of was how amazing her lips tasted and how soft they were against her own.

The kiss started off soft and questioning and then deepened till she was pouring all her passion and desire into Gina through their joined lips.

The amazing thing was, Gina was giving as good as she got.

When Emma traced her tongue across the brunette's lips she opened them, sucking eagerly at the blonde's tongue.

Emma moaned a little. Gina swallowed the moan and thrust her tongue into Emma's mouth exploring and conquering happily.

Finally they pulled apart, both breathing heavily.

The princess knew in that moment that she was in over her head.

She wanted more, a lot more.

The problem was she was lying, a lie of omission, but still a lie.

She should leave, now, before anything else happened. It wouldn't be right to bed Gina when the woman didn't know who she was. Especially when it had been Emma's parents who had exiled the beautiful brunette.

Gina was smiling, but that smile fell instantly when she saw that Emma's gaze was on the door.

"I should go, its not . . . I made a mistake. It wouldn't be right" Emma stammered.

She started towards the door but didn't get far before Gina's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Stay . . . I would like it if you would stay here tonight, with me" the last was said very softly.

Looking into Gina's eyes Emma could not say no to the invitation, but there was something she had to know.

"This, it can only be for a little while, do you . . still want me to stay tonight?" green eyes searched brown for the truth.

Gina nodded wordlessly, the sad reality already in her mind. She wanted Emma, on any terms she could have her.

Together the women cleaned the dishes from dinner.

While they didn't speak neither could resist brushing against the other at odd moments or sneaking glances at one another.

Finally the dishes were clean and the kitchen tidy.

Brown eyes met green and held.

Gina took Emma's hand gently and lead her to the bedroom. Once inside the brunette left her to close the door and went to the corner of the room to fill the washbasin.

Emma took a deep breath, closed the door, and began to remove the under padding for her armor. The armor itself had been taken off earlier when she realized that she would be staying for dinner.

When the blonde moved to the washbasin Gina turned and kissed her, gently, unexpectedly, before moving aside to let her clean up.

Then for just a moment they stood, inches apart, just looking at each other.

Then the moment broke as Gina stepped forward and kissed Emma, pressing their bodies together without touching Emma with her hands.

The blonde felt as if her whole body lit up as the brunette's curves rubbed gently against hers.

Finally Emma's brain began to work and her hands moved to Gina's back, caressing and tracing up and down. One of Gina's hands tangled in her hair pulling just slightly till she groaned.

The princess was anything but delicate and fragile, in bed she liked to play a little rough, if her lover could handle it that is.

And judging from the way the brunette's nails were biting into her hip through her trousers, Gina could more than handle a little rough sex.

Emma's pulse began to race and she could feel herself growing wet.

She guided them towards the bed as she began to undo the laces of Gina's corset.

The brunette's hand found the blonde's ass and squeezed, urging her on.

The blonde tangled a hand in Gina's hair and pulled till the brunette tipped her head back and then she kissed the long line of throat that was exposed, following the kiss with a nip that made Gina give a small gasp of pleasure.

That little gasp told Emma what she needed to know about Gina's preferences and she smiled, they were both going to get exactly what they needed tonight.

Emma didn't have to be rough in bed, but sometimes having that little bit of pain mixed in was what tipped her over the edge from pleasure into pure bliss.

When Gina's corset came off the brunette reached for the laces of her under gown but Emma stopped her, placing her hands back at her sides.

With a smile and a soft kiss the blonde reached for the knotted laces and tugged till they came loose.

Then Gina's gown slid to the floor barring her to Emma's hungry green eyes.

The blonde licked her lips as she gazed on the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, hardly believing that she was going to be allowed to make love to this incredible beauty.

As she stood naked in front of her the brunette's lips quirked upwards and she reached for Emma's shirt hem.

Under her shirt Emma's breasts were bound simply, with a long strip of linen wrapped tightly around her chest, as a corset wouldn't have fit well under her armor.

She suddenly felt self-conscious, what if her style wasn't feminine enough for Gina?

But Gina didn't seem to notice her doubts, nor did she hesitate in undoing the fastenings of the blonde's trousers.

Gina's hands traced lightly over her skin, teasing little caresses that made Emma shiver in anticipation.

While the brunette's hands slowly unwound the linen binding her eyes stayed steady on the blonde's.

Reassurance in Gina's every movement helped to calm the blonde's nerves so that when she finally stood as naked as Gina she wasn't shaking.

As one they moved to sit on the edge of the bed; their lips finding each others and exploring slowly.

Gina's hands twined around her waist as they kissed and Emma's slid behind the other woman's back, gently urging her closer.

Emma's hands stroked over the brunette's back as they kissed and Gina responded by gripping her waist tighter, her nails digging in slightly.

She moaned a little at the small pain of nails in flesh.

Had she been capable of talking just then she might have begged Gina to mark her up with nails and teeth.

Just then Gina bit down on her lower lip, Emma's eyes shot open and she caught sight of the impatience in the brunette's eyes.

Apparently she wasn't the only one who was eager for this.

Taking the hint Emma pushed the brunette down onto the bed on her back and watched the spark of amusement flare in her chocolate brown eyes.

Gina wanted her to take the lead, and she wanted her to be at least a bit rough.

Staring down at Gina she suddenly felt bold, in control, like she was meant to seize this moment and do exactly what she wanted with it.

Do exactly what she wanted with Gina . . .

Taking the brunette's hands in her own she slowly raised them and pinned them to the mattress beside her head.

Emma let her weight press Gina into the bed and kissed her, roughly, then teasingly, trailing kisses down her chin and collarbone towards the other woman's breasts.

The muscles of Gina's stomach rippled as Emma's fingers skimmed downward.

Gina was watching her the whole time with a strange mix of tension, expectation, and hope on her face.

Emma wanted to ask what that look was for, but she dared not ask because she knew that quite likely the question, or its answer, would destroy this moment forever.

So; instead of asking she paused her downward journey and rose above the brunette on her elbows to give her a slow passionate kiss.

When she was satisfied that Gina's reservations had been calmed she turned back to her slow exploration of the other woman's body.

She payed close attention to the reaction to each small nip and kiss that she laid on Gina's skin.

The brunette writhed and whimpered, eager for every tiny bit of contact that Emma gave her.

How lonely Gina must have been, and for how long, Emma thought, that she responded so strongly to her every caress.

It made Emma think again that she should never have touched her. But it was too late now, she wouldn't, indeed couldn't, stop herself now, not until she had given Gina all the pleasure she could give.

That was all it could be, she reminded herself, mutual pleasure for a night or two.

A small part of her mind whispered that a night of pleasure would NEVER be enough, But Emma silenced that voice quickly.

As she hovered over the brunette's stomach, her breath warming the skin there, she gazed up into chocolate brown eyes, and felt herself fall.

Quickly, fearful that Gina might see what was in her eyes, she spread the other woman's legs and dove in, licking at the folds of her clit even as she eased a single finger inside her entrance.

*****Regina's POV*****

Regina's head fell back on the bed and she moaned at the first touch inside her.

The look in Emma's eyes, just before the woman had lowered herself to lick hungrily at her sex, had been one she had never expected to see in anyone's eyes.

The former queen would've given anything to have that look be real, but she knew better.

No one would ever love her, not truly, she was fooling herself to think even for a moment that the look was real.

She would have to content herself with what attentions Emma would give her.

Oh God, the blonde was going to kill her if she kept up her current pace. Regina smiled, but what a way to go!

Just then Emma's finger stopped teasing and thrust inside of her fast, she gasped and her body bucked, her inner muscles already tensing even though they were only getting started.

Then Emma started to stroke her inner walls and Regina lost all control jerking and thrashing on the bed while the blonde set a deliberate pace designed to prolong the exquisite torture.

All the while the former queen could feel the pressure building inside her, Emma had blown her calm composure out of the water the moment she had removed her helmet beside the stream.

Merely having the blonde's attention for a night or two would never be enough . . .

Regina couldn't have known that Emma was having almost the exact same thought.

It was a good thing that all of Emma's attention was focused on pleasing Regina, for as her cries grew louder and her movements more uncontrolled, wisps of purple smoke eased through the shadows of the bedroom.

She just couldn't help it, there was something in Emma that broke effortlessly through all of Regina's hard-won self-restraint.

Regina felt her world explode around her as she came biting back Emma's name that was on the tip of her tongue.

Never before had she even been tempted to cry out a lover's name, and she wouldn't start now with a woman who had already as much as told her she wouldn't stay.

When she had caught her breath and the blonde lay beside her Regina rolled onto her side and looked down at the woman with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Now it is my turn to show you I can give as good as I get".

Emma gulped and Regina gave a low smokey chuckle as she slid down the woman's body placing strategic kisses as she went.

When her face was just above the nest of golden-blonde curls at the apex of Emma's thighs she gazed up the length of the other woman's body and chocolate brown eyes met emerald green.

Regina gave a mischievous smile and Emma let out an "Oh shit", apparently knowing that she was indeed in for it now.

Later, Regina curled onto her side facing away from Emma to hide the tears that spilled silently from her eyes.

She had long ago made peace with the facts of her life as an exile and what she could and couldn't have now.

But then Emma had charged into her life atop that ridiculous stallion, really; what lady rode a stallion?, and changed everything.

Now Regina wanted, and her exile had not affected her powers at all.

She had the means to make Emma stay with her, but she knew that Emma would hate her if she forced the woman to stay.

Of course, Emma would hate her anyway once she learned who Regina truly was.

When she had gone into exile rather than fighting with all she had to the end Regina had trained herself not to rely on her magic, to do things the ordinary way instead of the easy way.

She had done those things because she had finally recognized that magic had been the force that had twisted and corrupted her own mother till her lust for power had out-weighed all else in her life, even the love of her daughter.

In the twenty-odd years of her exile she had rarely used her magic, though it was always there, waiting just below the surface.

As Regina lay there crying silently and thinking her dark thoughts Emma scooted closer and nestled against her back putting an arm around her waist.

Eventually the warmth of the blonde against her calmed her thoughts of using magic to make the woman stay and Regina slept, clutching Emma's arm to her chest.

*****Emma's POV*****

The next day Emma awoke to the smell of fresh baked bread, and an empty bed.

While she would have preferred to start out the day in the same way she had ended the previous one she could appreciate the fact that Gina had taken the extra effort to make breakfast for them both.

By unspoken agreement both of them seemed content to pass the day as if Emma would not be leaving soon.

As if by not speaking or acting on it they could make that little fact vanish entirely.

In the morning they worked in the garden, tending and weeding and trimming the plants that Gina grew to feed herself so she would not have to step foot into a market.

While there was a type of market in the Exiles Forest, most women would not have dared to go there as it was easily the most dangerous place in the area.

Though Emma didn't know it Gina avoided the market for another reason.

Even the thieves and outlaws that called the Exiles Forest home feared and loathed the evil queen, and she had had enough of that sort of treatment to last her a lifetime.

In the afternoon they walked through the nearby woods checking traps Gina had set for the small game animals that were abundant in the area.

Some of the traps were sprung and empty but they were lucky enough to find three rather lean looking rabbits that Gina pronounced would make a fine stew for supper.

The day passed in a blur of soft touches and kisses, and shared glances, moments stolen when Emma should have been home preparing for her ball.

That night they made love, Emma couldn't call it just sex, every movement, every caress, was deliberate, purposeful, full of the words that neither of them would say aloud.

In a way making love like that was its own language, one that only two hearts would ever understand.

It was a pity that the people involved hadn't yet learned to understand the language that their hearts already knew.

They feel asleep cuddled in each others arms.

As dawn crept through the little cottage Emma stirred in bed, only to feel Gina tighten her grip making it impossible for the blonde to leave the bed.

Once she was fully awake Emma realized that while she hadn't gotten her morning lovin' the day before she certainly had a chance to today.

With a smile she began to run her hands up and down Gina's side, tracing little patterns here and there.

The brunette only mumbled sleepily and rolled onto her back, which, of course, only left Emma with more to play with.

Emma bent to kiss a pert nipple and tease it from sleep while her hand smoothed gently down Gina's thigh.

However, the blonde was surprised and distracted when the thigh she was stroking fell easily to the side leaving the other woman completely open to her.

With a wicked grin she crawled down to the foot of the bed and eyed her prize.

Gina was still sleeping soundly, a slight frown on her brow as if her dreams weren't entirely pleasant.

Emma eased herself between Gina's legs and started with a gentle kiss on her nether lips.

From there she eased the brunette's legs gently wider and spread the lips so that she could lap at the sensitive little bundle of nerves at the top.

Gina made a half strangled sound of pleasure.

After a quick look up revealed that the brunette was actually still asleep she lowered herself back to what she was doing before.

Which, at the moment, was teasing Gina awake in the most enjoyable way possible.

Emma quickly lost herself in making love to Gina.

She couldn't have said at just what point Gina woke, only noticing for herself when the woman grabbed her hair and pressed her face harder against her clit.

That was when Emma started thrusting her fingers into the dripping flesh just the level of her mouth.

The princess could feel Gina's muscles tightening with the coming orgasm and could feel her juices running down her chin, she knew the other woman was close to cumming, and just when she thought things couldn't get any better than this, Gina screamed her name and came Hard.

All of Emma's thoughts flew out the window and her heart stopped in her chest for a moment as she heard the woman call out her name, because there was no mistaking what it meant.

In spite of her warning, and their circumstances, Gina had feelings for her.

*****Regina's POV*****

Neither of them had spoken since their morning lovemaking.

They had done exactly what they were supposed to, cleaning themselves up, getting dressed, preparing food, but both of them were lost in their own thoughts this morning.

Regina didn't have to ask to know that Emma was leaving today.

And she was totally lost for what to do about it.

Never before had she called out a lover's name in the heat of passion, then again, she had never been sad to see one of her lovers go before either.

Always before she had had her fun and then they had both moved on to other partners.

She had never even stopped to consider what happened to her lovers after they parted ways.

But with Emma it was different, in every way.

With a small shock she realized that she actually cared for the blonde.

Regina had convinced herself long ago that she wasn't capable of love, but she knew now that she did have feelings for Emma, strong feelings.

The former queen found herself holding her breath and hoping that Emma also felt something for her.

After breakfast they cleaned the dishes and then they simply sat in the garden together, not really talking except in small snippets about the weather or the forest in general, there didn't seem to be any point in talking about what they both knew had to happen.

Finally breaking through the barrier Regina asked "Emma, what part of the kingdom do you live in?".

Emma grimaced before answering "I live in the city center, near the castle".

Now it was Regina's turn to grimace, even if she had been willing to risk sneaking into the kingdom to visit Emma, she really couldn't go so close to the palace, not and keep from using her magic for revenge against Snow and Phillip.

No, visiting Emma was out of the question.

Pain and disappointment stabbed through Regina at the thought that she might never see the blonde knight again.

Finally the time came for Emma to go.

The blonde saddled her horse, gathered her things, and donned her armor while Regina made up a packet of food for her to take with her, including a couple of apples from her tree.

These apples, unlike the one she had once given Snow White, were safe, and delicious.

The one she had used to poison Snow had come from a special tree that had grown in her castle garden, no doubt that tree had been burned once Snow and Phillip took over the castle.

At last Regina stood in the door of her cottage and kissed Emma soundly, determined not to shame herself by crying in front of the woman, even though it felt like her heart was shattering into a million pieces.

Emma herself barely spoke, seemingly going on the theory that the less was said the better.

And then she turned and mounted her stallion without a backward glance.

Regina simply stood, frozen to the spot, watching because she couldn't bring herself to use magic to force Emma to stay.

The odd thing was, Emma wasn't moving, she was just sitting in the saddle looking down the forest path.

Then, with a vile curse, Emma swung down from her mount and strode back to where Regina stood.

Pinning Regina against the door the blonde slid a hand into her hair cupping the back of her head and kissed her like she was trying to pour her soul through their joined lips into Regina's body.

Then Emma laid her forehead against Regina's and seemed to sag in weariness.

"I can't stay Gina, but I will come back to you. I promise".

The brunette gave a watery smile "Do I have your word on that my knight?" she asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Just a reminder, I do not claim to own the characters, only the story is my own.

Hope you enjoy! I will try to update often, but sometimes life gets in the way of writing.

**Chapter 2**

Emma's eyebrows shot up in surprise when she opened the packet of food Gina had given her for her journey.

There, among the bread and cheese, were two bright shiny red apples.

Even had she not had her suspicions on who Gina really was the apples would have given her pause.

Queen Snow had forbidden apples within the castle grounds as a precaution against the evil queen, just in case the woman ever came back for her revenge.

Because of her mother's over-protectiveness Emma had never even tasted an apple in her life.

At least one good thing would come out of Gina's gift.

Emma knew now that Gina could not possibly know who she really was, as no one would ever give Snow White's daughter an apple.

Within the kingdom it was considered a punishable offense to bring an apple anywhere near the royal family.

Picking up one of the apples Emma paused wondering if old habits really did die hard.

Might these apples be poisoned after all?

Then she remembered the look on Gina's face when she had promised to return, there had been nothing of malice or hate in her eyes, and the eyes always showed a person's intentions for good or ill.

Remembering the look that had been on Gina's face, the princess felt her heart melt a little.

The brunette had been smiling through the tears that were still threatening to overflow her warm chocolate brown eyes.

As Emma took her first bite juices ran down her chin like the sweetest nectar, it was crisp and crunchy like a pear but far sweeter.

It was one of the most mouthwatering things she had ever tasted, absolutely delicious.

She had never known what she was missing by not having apples to eat, and she still wouldn't have known had she not met Gina.

She thought she might have just found something she liked better than chocolate.

Gina, Regina, she just wasn't sure anymore, she wasn't even sure it mattered to her.

She knew she was falling for the woman and she knew that Gina had feelings for her, maybe even loved her.

But how would Gina feel when she learned Emma was Snow White's daughter?

And if Gina really was Regina, she didn't know who would react worse, her mother or Gina.

At this point Emma was almost 90 percent sure that the woman she was falling for was actually her parent's sworn enemy.

Except for one thing, Gina acted nothing like the woman in her parent's stories.

Finishing the first apple Emma looked around the meadow where she had stopped to have her lunch trying to get an idea of how far she was from the border of her kingdom.

By her estimate she and Lexaar had not yet passed the stream where she had met Gina, so it might be a half a league to the edge of the kingdom.

As she continued to scan the area she picked up the other apple and savored it, wishing that she could have held onto it for later; but once she was back within the Enchanted Kingdom she might meet with a patrol searching for her at any time, and there really wasn't a reason good enough for her to have an apple in her possession.

She had been raised on stories of her parent's romance, and of their victories over the evil former queen who had once sought to poison her mother with an innocent offering of fruit.

The stories had taught her to beware of gifts from strangers, among other things.

Emma supposed that she hadn't learned those lessons as well as she should have.

Finishing the second apple she tossed the cores into the grass for the birds.

If Emma were to be honest with herself, and her mother had taught her that above almost all else, she really didn't care who Gina might once have been.

That thought lightened her mood considerably and she swung up into the saddle to continue on her way home.

Barely a quarter of an hour passed after entering the kingdom before Emma heard the sound of armored horsemen rapidly approaching.

Reining in Lexaar, she simply waited on the road for the patrol to reach her.

Once they came into sight however she wished she had kept going for her father's standard was clear to be seen, this was not just a random patrol watching for her, it was her father and his personal guard.

It wasn't that Emma didn't get along with her father, they got along very well, but she had rather hoped that she wouldn't have to explain to him why she had run away right before her royal ball.

Emma squared her shoulders and stayed where she was, she might not be proud of what she had done but she had enough honor to own up to her deeds.

In that way she was very much her parent's daughter.

"Emma, Emma!" her father called out as he approached.

Easing his horse beside her own he pulled her into a careful embrace.

"Your mother has been worrying herself sick since you went missing, where have you been?".

The princess frowned "I just needed, space, to clear my head a little" she answered.

"Is she upset?, about the ball I mean"

She carefully side-stepped the question of where she had been for the last few days.

Emma hadn't meant to make her parents worry for her, but she had needed to escape from that ball, and from the obligation of trying to choose a suitable husband from the attendees.

Oh, she knew her mother would find other occasions to try and marry her daughter off, and she meant it well, but there was just so much Snow didn't know about her own daughter.

"Ah, well, maybe a bit upset" he answered as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"But I am sure she will be happy just to see you home safe" quietly he added "it will be alright".

Emma wondered at that but kept her doubts to herself.

Riding through the kingdom with her father and the guard was a pleasant pastime for her and something she had done many times in the past.

It also brought back lots of happy memories of her childhood.

The princess had had a very good childhood.

Her parents had spent much time with her, unlike other royals who pawned their children off on nannies and tutors.

They had been the ones who taught her right from wrong, taught her proper behavior and dress and how to dance.

It had been her father who had taught her how to ride when she was five.

*****Regina's POV*****

Regina sat in front of the window of her cottage with a bowl in her lap, shelling peas.

She was thinking of a certain blonde again.

Emma had only been gone a day and Regina had felt the passing of each moment without her as an acute pain.

She was beginning to understand what had lead her mother to rip out her own heart, even if she didn't understand anything else about the woman.

If Regina was honest with herself she could say that she forgave her mother for the things she had done to her.

Just like herself, Cora had been shaped by the things that had happened to her.

But Regina was not her her mother, and she would not make the same choices, even when the storms of life tried their best to drown her.

Getting up from her seat by the window with her bowl she crossed to the kitchen.

Even though she no longer thought of such things Regina still carried herself with all the grace and regal bearing of the queen she had once been.

That was still how she lived her life, simple as it was now, all of her actions, all of her determination, were still that of a queen.

Though a couple of things had changed.

For one thing she was no longer hell bent on taking revenge on the woman who had so wronged her when Snow had been but a child.

She had also given up thoughts of ruling the land with an iron fist.

No, Regina was not the same woman that all had known and feared as the evil queen who would stop at nothing to kill her step-daughter.

But for all of that, Regina was still just a woman and though she might not show it she still had doubts and fears and she still had a heart that longed to meet its match.

Maybe, just maybe, Emma was her heart's match.

She would hold tight to that thought and go on as though she knew that Emma would be able to accept her for who she really was, wart-ridden past and all.

*****Emma's POV*****

Emma stood in her mother's sitting room looking at the floor while Snow paced through the room agitatedly.

She and her father had arrived back at the castle late enough the night before that she had been allowed to clean up and go straight to bed rather than face the talking to her mother had planned.

Emma had taken full advantage of the short respite.

As she stood before her mother she was dressed in her most feminine and proper gown and had even had her hair piled delicately atop her head so that she looked every inch the princess that Snow had raised her to be.

"Emma" her mother chided exasperatedly, "every nobleman in the kingdom, and some from other kingdoms, sent their sons to meet you. Did you even think about what we would have to tell them when you didn't show up to your own ball?"

Snow was gentle with her daughter but firm, even though it was clear to the princess that she was frustrated to her wits end.

Emma was starting to get angry now, but she bit her tongue, hoping that queen Snow is almost done.

Unfortunately once her mother got this worked up she could keep going for quite some time.

Pacing the room again Snow continues.

"Your father and I just want to see you married and happy Emma. You know we wont be around forever"

Emma's eyes widen at that statement..

"Did you even think that maybe being married off to some man I've only met a few times might not be what would make me happy?!" she shot back hotly.

Now it was Snow's turn to be silent for a moment.

Clearly her mother hadn't thought about the fact that while she had married the man she loved her daughter was being asked to marry someone she didn't really know and just hope that they would grow to love one another.

All for the good of the kingdom.

"But this is how it's done Emma, a princess is presented at royal balls and from them she chooses the suitor that she will marry"

Emma could see that her statement hadn't fallen on deaf ears, but that her mother simply didn't know another way, even though she was starting to see that this was not what her daughter wanted.

"If grandpa had lived, would you have just gone along with this tradition? Would you have married a nobleman you barely knew just because your father thought he was a suitable match for you?"

Emma stayed only long enough to see Snow's face start to fall with the realization, then she turned on her heel and left her parent's chambers.

She knew her mother was a fighter, and she couldn't see her just going along obediently and marrying some spoiled, weak armed nobleman simply because his station was an acceptable match for hers.

In their younger days her parents had defied so many conventions and traditions that had they not been king and queen they would no longer have been tolerated at court, they would have been completely shunned.

And her father's secret . . .

Well, even now if people were to find out it could destroy alliances for the kingdom forever.

No, her parents were the last people who should be telling her to fall in line with tradition.

Frustrated and angry with the position she was in Emma headed for the garden and the one spot she could be alone.

In the center of the royal gardens, hidden by a tall hedgerow that had been there for the whole of her life, was a ring of stones marking what had once been a planter with a tree, but was now only blackened stones and a stump.

Emma had discovered this spot when she was just a child, and had learned that no one ever came here so it was the perfect place to go when she wanted to be alone.

Once when she was little she had asked her tutor what the tree had done to be burned and never replanted.

It was then that she had learned the the tree that had stood there was the one that had grown the evil queen's poisoned apples.

At the time she had been both fascinated and horrified by the burned stump and what it represented.

Now as Emma sat staring at the scorched stones and blackened stump she was thinking about Gina, and wondering if she was the same woman who had tried to poison Snow all those years ago.

She finally decided that if Gina was Regina, she must have changed a great deal from the person she had been.

*****Regina's POV*****

Regina was back in her mother's chambers, her thin back pressed against the wall as she tried to hide from what was coming even though she knew it wouldn't help.

"You will do it and you will do it right!" Cora yelled at her young daughter.

Regina cringed as the slap landed across her cheek, even though her mother was still on the other side of the room.

"I'm trying" the dark hair child cried softly.

"That's not good enough! How do you expect to get a wealthy husband if you can't even do simple tasks right?! You're worthless!"

Again and again the magical blows landed, this time pummeling her ribs till she thought that they must surely be broken.

But always her mother stopped just short of breaking her body, after all, she would say, who would want a cripple as a wife?

Every day was the same.

Lessons in etiquette, lessons in posture, lessons in manners.

All so that she might be fit to be married into the world of wealth and privilege of the upper classes that her mother so despised.

And always the lessons ended the same way, she would make a mistake and her mother would fly into a rage and make her pay dearly for it.

Tendrils of sinister blue smoke snaked out and wrapped around her ankles and wrists, dragging her from the corner of the room even though she fought it with all she had.

Regina awoke sitting straight up in bed with magic tingling at her finger-tips, ready to toss some unlucky soul through the wall of the cottage.

She blinked suddenly, realizing where she was and what she was doing.

Her bedroom was empty.

Cora was long gone, she had sent her through a portal to another land a long time ago.

It was only in her darkest dreams that her mother still held any power over her.

With a flick of her fingers Regina lit the lamps in her room and retrieved her brush from the top of the chest of drawers.

These small bits of magic were more than she had allowed herself to use in months.

She had seen more than enough of how the magic had corrupted her mother, so when she had gone willingly into exile she had decided that magic would only be used as a last resort in the most dire of circumstances.

She was breaking her own rule.

Regina sat in bed brushing her hair for hours while the sun slowly rose above the trees.

She wished that Emma were beside her in bed to cuddle against her and help remind her that she was no longer that powerless child.

Shaking her head at herself she finally got out of bed and dressed for the day.

As she went about her daily chores she couldn't help being reminded of the blonde, especially when she went to the stream for water.

She smiled as she realized that she hadn't seen or heard any sign of the bandits since that day.

Emma had been gone a week now, and while Regina had once relished her solitude she now missed the woman more than should have been possible considering how short a time they had been together.

There was just something about her that had burrowed right into Regina's heart, though those who had known her as the evil queen would swear she didn't have a heart.

The blonde had most certainly proven that rumor false.

While she was working in her garden it struck her that she had given Emma a pair of apples to eat on her journey.

An apple had once been her weapon of choice against the woman who was now queen of the kingdom Emma lived in.

she wondered if the blonde had remembered that little bit of her land's history.

More, what if she had gotten rid of the apples because of it, surely apples would be an unpopular fruit in the Enchanted Kingdom now with Snow as queen.

Regina only hoped that Emma had not thought of her gift of apples as a gesture of ill will.

She herself loved apples, it was why she had gone to the trouble of planting the tree and tending it even in her exile.

She had only wished to share something she loved with the woman she . . . ? Her train of thought cut off abruptly.

Did she love Emma?

She had feelings for her, that was unquestionable, but she wasn't sure could she could say it was love.

Love took time she told herself.

One day, one day she might love her, but they just hadn't known each other long enough for that yet.

It wasn't possible, . . . or was it?


	3. Chapter 3

Note, I do not claim to own the characters, only the story is my own.

Sorry it took me so long on this one, but I was updating my other story as well. I hope you find this worth the wait!

**Chapter 3**

Regina looked up at the sky as a few more leaves tumbled past her.

In just three more days it would be a full month since she had seen Emma.

The season was starting to change and soon it would be more difficult for the blonde to travel to see her.

Even though it sometimes seemed like a cruel joke; Regina was holding fast to the blonde's promise to return.

She reminded herself almost daily that most common folk didn't travel much and it might be a hardship on Emma and her family for her to return so soon.

That reasoning didn't placate her heart much, but it helped her to keep believing that the woman really would come back for her.

Every time Regina went to the stream for water she found herself watching for her "knight".

She just couldn't help herself, it had become a habit, one she was loathe to break.

It felt like if she broke herself of the habit of looking for Emma she would be admitting that the blonde wasn't coming back.

So she made excuses to go to the stream more often.

It had been an unusually dry season, so her rain barrel wasn't collecting enough for her to get by on, that was one thing she told herself.

Or, the cottage needed to be scrubbed down, and that took more water.

The former evil queen was intelligent enough to know she was just looking for reasons to go to the spot where she had met Emma in hopes of finding her there again, but that didn't mean that her reasons weren't still valid ones.

*****Emma's POV*****

It had been a month!

The princess was starting to go a little stir crazy.

She wanted to go back to Gina, preferably before the woman forgot all about her.

The problem was she hadn't been left alone since she returned home to the castle.

Any time she stepped out of her chambers there were one or two royal guards following her.

She figured they must have been given strict orders not to let her out of their sight unless she was in her own rooms.

She, no doubt, had her mother to thank for that.

Emma hadn't been allowed to leave the castle grounds even once since she had spoken to Snow about the missed ball.

Worse yet, her mother had thrown two more balls as an apology to the nobles for Emma's absence from the first one.

She wanted to scream, Snow knew now why she hadn't wanted to attend the ball in the first place, but her mother had pressed on along the path of tradition nevertheless.

There was to be a banquet tomorrow night, yet another party where she was expected to mingle among the eligible noblemen and get acquainted.

Even if her mother hadn't intended it as such; these parties were punishment enough for her untoward behavior.

Of course, that didn't mean she wouldn't run off to Gina again the first chance she got.

The blond smiled, sometimes thinking of Gina was the only thing that got her through the tedium of her duties as princess.

She needed to find a way to get out of the castle, and to do that she had to give her "babysitters" the slip.

Since the only time she was alone was when she was in her own rooms it seemed like that would be the best place and time to make her escape.

Except Emma's personal apartment was on the third floor of the castle.

While most princess' would have found the prospect of leaving those rooms by any other way than the door more than a little daunting, Emma was Snow White's daughter, and thanks to some of the things her mother had gone through as a child, she had determined to be sure her daughter was anything but helpless.

Emma had been trained from an early age to be as skilled as any of the knights that defended her family.

She smiled as she recalled the day she had stood beside her father in a tunic and trousers in the bailey and listened to him tell the guards that she was to be trained as if she were just another squire looking to become one of their number.

She had been excited and scared and proud all at the same time.

What had followed had been lots of hard work and many many days where she was so tired by evening that she fell into bed and was asleep even before dinner was served.

Looking around her room she considers the options.

The balcony overlooking the garden would be the easiest but climbing down from there would take her right past the windows of her mother's favorite drawing room, that wasn't worth the risk.

If she went out of the window on the other side of the room her descent would be in full view of the castle garrison should anyone look towards the castle.

It would have to be the window in her dressing room.

Though that window was much smaller than the others and there was still a slight chance of someone sighting her it was the only place where she wouldn't have to pass rooms with windows that were heavily used.

Climbing down would present the second problem.

She couldn't just walk through the castle with a coil of rope over her arm without arousing suspicions about its intended use.

Once she had decided that the bedsheets and curtains would do as rope it occurred to her that she knew exactly when she would have the perfect opportunity.

But she would have to hurry to be ready in time.

*****Regina's POV*****

Regina had been having the dreams again, it had been a while since they had troubled her so much.

But then it had been a long time since she had cared about anyone or anything but herself.

Last night's dream had been the worst yet, because it had involved Emma.

She had awakened throwing a fireball at the wall of her bedroom, only realizing too late to stop where she was.

Regina had had to use magic to douse the flames, but had forced herself to clean and repair the mess by hand as a sort of penance for breaking her own rule.

The task had taken her most of the day.

She refused to let the magic control her.

When she had been queen she had been convinced that the magic was the key, the only way for her to have power over her own life, so she had constantly sought more and more power.

But it had been a lie, the same lie her mother had gotten caught up in, ironically.

As her emotions rose and old pains surfaced more the magic came more and more easily to her hands in response.

Once magic had been her only response to any problem, but she had worked hard to change that.

She would be damned if she was going to go back to that!

If only her mind could be repaired as easily as the cottage wall.

But no, with memories clouding her mind and filling it with agonizing regrets over things that had happened so long ago that most of the time Regina was able to pretend they had never happened at all she was as vulnerable as she had been as a child.

The pain was paralyzing, especially as the memories seemed to be stuck on an endless loop playing in her head.

She WOULD get through this, she had to.

The key here was to remember that magic was not the solution that it always promised to be.

Magic was a crutch and when she let herself rely on it it had made her the most hated woman in the kingdom.

Almost nothing good ever came from using magic.

It had been the thing that had twisted her mother and the tool used to kill Daniel.

True it had also kept her alive at times, and helped her get out from under her mother's tyrannical rule, but it had also destroyed more people than she cared to count with her own hands.

Trying to shake herself out of her dark thoughts Regina stood and picked up a basket from the corner, it was time to gather apples from her tree, before they fell and the scavengers got them.

Hopefully she would get enough to make some apple butter as well as a pie.

The busy work of cutting and cooking almost two dozen apples helped to take Regina's mind off of the past.

And as the smell of the apples filled the smell cottage she smiled for the first time in a week.

Despite how an apple had once played a key part in the evil deeds of her past they also brought back many happy memories.

There had been days when she was small that she had escaped from her mother's presence by hiding in an apple tree and reading the day away.

Such simple pleasures she thought now, how she wished she could find joy in such simple things now, or perhaps a little solace.

Yes, solace was what she wanted.

With that thought, unbidden, came the image of her sitting in the garden with Emma, just sitting and talking after the work had been done.

She felt the calm contentment of that moment wash over her and her smile grew wider as she breathed deep of the crisp fall air.

*****Emma's POV*****

It was only with a little help from a friend who worked in the stables that Emma was ready in time for the banquet that night.

She had managed to have everything tucked away for her journey, except for her armor.

She just hadn't been able to figure out a way to have that one hand without arousing suspicions about what she was doing.

Kailey had taken care of getting the armor to the stables for her, sometimes her friend was a true godsend.

Now as she sat at table trying to keep up polite conversation on the dullest of subjects with a pair of men who had never even picked up a sword in their lives she was almost bubbling over from the nervous energy of what she was about to do.

The man to her right, she thought his name was something like James or Jessin, was talking about land rights and grazing cattle for a fee.

She couldn't have been more bored with the conversation.

Of course, the man on her left had just finished a lengthy, and likely rehearsed, speech about the alliances of kingdoms and the benefits of trade agreements, as if that was her personal area of oversight.

The only good part was that both men seemed to be quite interested in the topics so that Emma need only give a nod or comment now and again to appear as though she were invested in the discussion.

Finally, just before the last course was to be served Emma rose and made her excuses, saying she felt tired and unwell, and left the feast to retire to her room.

The princess had to force herself not to run to her chamber.

It was time, she had to change quickly out of her gown and tie the sheets into a rope.

By the time the feast was over she needed to be in disguise and waiting in the courtyard.

Her parent's banquet provided the perfect cover for her escape, nicely ironic really.

Tonight people were expected to be coming and going most of the night and so no one would be looking too hard, especially at the servants who passed through the gates.

Lexaar should be ready and waiting now, his saddle would be covered with a blanket and a pair of baskets, the baskets would hold both her armor, clothing, and some food for her journey.

All Emma had to do was keep her hood up and lead her mount out through the open castle gate.

When they reached her rooms the blonde turned to the two guards who were following her.

"I am retiring now, please see that I am not disturbed"

"Yes princess" one of the men answered before they took up posts beside her door.

Once inside Emma didn't waste any time shimmying out of the frilly gown she had worn to dinner.

She had attended the banquet, as her mother required, as far as she was concerned she had fulfilled her obligation to duty.

Now she was off to fulfill a different sort of requirement, one to her heart.

From the bottom of her wardrobe she retrieves a bundle containing a pair of worn trousers, a tunic covered in many patches and a cloak left behind by a careless stable boy and quietly dons them.

Working fast the princess knots together the bedsheets and curtains securely and ties one end around one of the blocks supporting the heavy stone bathing tub before dropping the other out of the already open window.

Looking out to be sure there is no one roaming the grounds below the blonde instantly sees that she has made a miscalculation, the end of the makeshift rope dangles almost six feet above the ground!

Emma knows she has no time now to fix it, she will just have to drop the remaining distance and try not to turn an ankle on the landing.

Taking a last hasty turn through her chambers she blows out all the candles and sets the latch on the door even though she knows it will only delay her parents in discovering that she is gone.

Her parents weren't slow witted, once they found she was missing they wouldn't be wasting time searching the castle grounds.

She would need all the head start she could get.

Climbing down didn't take as long as she had thought and all too soon she was dangling at the end of her makeshift rope.

Closing her eyes tightly she lets go of the bed sheet keeping her knees loose to absorb the jolt from the landing.

When she hits the ground she falls to her hands and knees and then looks around to be sure that no one is close enough to have seen her.

Seeing that the path toward the stables is clear she gets to her feet and hurries away from the castle and all of its brightly lit windows.

Ducking in through a side door Emma spots her friend Kailey waiting anxiously, wringing her hands.

Nearby, tied to a rail and pawing the ground, is Lexaar.

Lexaar laid his ears back on seeing her enter but calmed quickly once her scent reached his sensitive nose.

"Can I help you?" Kailey asks, not recognizing the princess as she still has her hood up.

In response the princess pushes back her hood far enough to show her face.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here! Several parties of guests have already left. I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it"

The blonde gave her friend a conspiratorial smile.

"And miss my chance to get out of here? No thank you" after looking at the stable hand for a minute she adds "I owe you for the risk you took in helping me tonight".

Kailey shook her head stubbornly, "We have been friends since we were children, you owe me nothing."

"You are coming back aren't you princess?" the other woman says softly, a worried expression on her face.

"Of course. This is my home, my kingdom"

Emma hugs her friend and then, drawing the hood back over her face and untying Lexaar she heads for the gate.

As she leads the stallion through out of the castle just behind a group of guests leaving the banquet to return home no one questions her, even the guards barely seem to notice her, just another servant off on a bit of late business.

The princess walked until she was certain she was well out of sight of the castle and then she stopped and removed the baskets from Lexaar's back.

Sure enough everything was there, her armor, food, clothing, and water skins.

Glancing about her warily she dons the armor and puts the saddle bags onto her horse, then she hides the baskets in the undergrowth beside the road.

She would have to travel through the night but that thought didn't really bother her.

Even as a child she hadn't been afraid of the dark.

The blonde set a steady pace knowing that if she rode through the night she would make it to Gina's cottage by mid-day.

She wondered if her parents would ever think of looking for her in the Exile's Forest.

The other advantage to riding through the night was there would be less chance that someone would see her and be able to tell the search patrol which way she had gone.

Overhead the moon was only half way to full, but it provided ample light for the princess to see the road she was on and it would be almost morning by the time she reached the edge of the Exile's Forest.

When the sun started to rise Emma found herself beside the stream where she had first met Gina.

Pausing there she drinks from the crystal clear water and sits to eat some of her food.

As she eats she can't help wondering what Gina is doing, and if she will have any more apples for her.

Having grown up with the delicious fruit forbidden to her she realizes she really doesn't know much about apples.

She will just have to hope that the fruit isn't already out of season.

An ironic smile quirks her lips as the thought comes to her that she is eagerly anticipating getting an apple from the what may well be the same woman who had used one to try and kill her mother.

*****Regina's POV*****

The brunette had been feeling a somewhat wistful lately, simply sitting in her garden for hours on end just because it was it was a place where she could imagine that Emma was beside her while the blonde was away.

Regina knew now that she had feelings for Emma, she had finally admitted it to herself when she realized the blonde's mere presence would have been enough to change her entire mood for the day.

When she heard the hoof beats she got to her feet and skirted around the side of the cottage to see who might be coming to her door.

Seeing the familiar steel gray stallion Regina nearly tripped in her haste to reach the path that lead to her the front of the cottage.

Stopping just ahead of the horse and its rider she took a moment to take a deep breath and compose herself somewhat before speaking.

"So you've returned, I was beginning to wonder".

In response the rider swung down from the saddle and stepped right into Regina's personal space before pulling the former queen against the soft curves she had been day dreaming about for weeks now.

"I gave my word that I would come back, did you doubt me that much?"

Regina didn't get a chance to reply to that as the blonde pulled her into a passionate kiss that had both their hearts racing in seconds.

When the kiss was over the brunette let herself lean against the other woman just a little.

"It took you a while to get back" she said softly, trying not to make it sound like an accusation.

"I know" Emma says, resting her forehead against Regina's "My family didn't want to let me leave".

Regina stopped herself, barely, from asking more about why the blonde's family would stop her from traveling, not to mention how they could.

Once inside the brunette busies herself with putting together lunch for the two of them.

Out of the corner of her eye she catches Emma helping herself to an apple from the bowl on the counter. "You do like apples, don't you?" she asks wryly

The blonde blushes a little "They're very good"

"I would think that apples would be quite . . . unpopular in Queen Snow's kingdom" Regina says, watching Emma from under lowered lashes.

"Well, I'm afraid many people do avoid them. And Queen Snow has banned them inside the castle."

At that Regina's eyebrows winged up "She banned them? Is she so afraid of . . . the old queen?".

The brunette could only hope Emma wouldn't notice the hesitation because she had almost said "me".

She really wasn't ready to lose the woman just because of who and what she had been years ago.

The blonde paused before answering "Maybe not afraid, just cautious."

Emma's answer made Regina stop and look at her, really look at the woman.

That answer told her that even if Emma didn't like her queen she did at least respect the woman enough not to speak ill of her.

Emma, not understanding Regina's gaze, fidgeted with the apple core in her hands.

"It doesn't matter now. The old queen has been gone for so long, she wouldn't try to retake the kingdom now" Regina couldn't keep the touch of sadness from her voice.

Emma moved to her side and pulled her into a close embrace.

The brunette looked up with wide eyes, startled by the unfamiliarity of receiving such an act of compassion, before leaning into the blonde.

Just holding each other in that way was all the balm Regina needed against her past for the moment.

Finally she lowers her head and lays a gentle kiss on Emma's neck.

Regina feels Emma shiver in pleasure as she realizes where Regina's mood is heading.

Trailing kisses up the blonde's neck to her ear, and then feathering lighter kisses down the woman's jaw the former queen feels a certain proprietary satisfaction slide through her.

It is for her; possibly her alone?, that Emma reacts in this way.

This is a new kind of power for her, knowing that she had the ability to make the beautiful blonde in her arms react so strongly with such a light touch.

As Regina's fingers dance lightly down Emma's sides the blonde tunnels her fingers through long chestnut brown hair urging her on.

Reaching Emma's mouth Regina can no longer hold back, she kisses her with all the intensity of a staved man, feasting on the blonde's lips.

Emma, matching her passion perfectly, begins to guide Regina towards the bedroom without breaking their kiss.

Hands scrambling at each others clothes in a frenzy of shared need they tumble onto the bed still kissing.

Laughing Regina realizes that if either is to get out of their clothes they will have to slow down just a little and cooperate with the actions of the other.

The two of them sit up and start over, slower this time, undoing laces and belts, taking time to place nearly chaste kisses on each bit of skin as it is revealed.

Finally they are both naked, each woman breathing a little faster than normal, both from anticipation and exertion.

Emma was so beautiful, from the soft green of her eyes to the blush of arousal staining her cheeks, and other places, in this moment.

Then the blonde crawled over to her and straddled her legs and Regina forgot all about thinking.

The brunette raised one legs just a little and the blonde froze for a second feeling it just touch her at the apex of her thighs.

Then she leaned in, kissing Regina and rubbing herself shamelessly against the other woman's thigh.

When Regina felt moisture trickle onto her thigh she rolled them so that Emma was on her back on the bed and she was on top of the blonde.

Supporting herself on her elbows she rubbed their breasts together feeling her own nipples tighten in response.

Playfully she leans in and kisses the tip of Emma's nose.

The blonde nips at her bottom lip impatiently.

Regina pulls back and then moves in and bites not so gently at Emma's neck making the woman let out a low moan.

Cupping the other woman's mound the brunette can feel the flood of moisture.

Watching Emma carefully she runs two fingers just between the woman's lower lips making her nearly convulse.

Then, still making eye contact, she brings her fingers up to her mouth and slowly sucks the wetness from them.

The blonde's lips part in a silent plea, begging Regina for more.

When Regina finally lowered her mouth and began to lap softly at the swollen nub of flesh of Emma's sex the woman's head jerked back and she screamed nearly cumming right there.

But the former queen wasn't even close to done with her so she slowed till she was barely touching her, but still keeping her on the edge of pleasure.

"Gina!" Emma moaned, drawing the name out in frustration.

She waited just a moment more till the blonde started trying to writhe her hips closer to Regina's mouth, then she spread the blonde's lips and began licking her with firm strokes.

The woman bucked against her face and moaned louder.

When the brunette's tongue finally dipped into the other woman's entrance and circled around inside Emma thrashed and cried out, riding the waves of pleasure that Regina was giving her.

*****Emma's POV*****

Later Emma laid awake watching Gina sleep.

In sleep the woman's face finally relaxed and a sweet smile curved her lips.

She would happily give up her title an claim to the throne just to be able to watch her lover sleep beside her every night . . .

Wow, where had these thoughts come from?!

Though honestly, she should just admit that she was falling in love with this woman.

More of this, sleeping beside this woman after making love, was all she really wanted out of life, this was her happily ever after.

Inching closer so that their legs touched Emma closed her eyes and finally slept.


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize for how long it took me to come up with this update, but I hate posting anything that isn't up to my own high standards. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

**Chapter 4**

Regina lay in bed watching the blonde sleep.

The woman was beautiful no matter what, but in sleep she was breathtaking.

As she watched a small frown creased the other woman's brow, as if something in her dream was troubling her.

Regina wondered what it was that made her lover frown in her sleep.

Maybe if she could discover what it was she could change it?

After all, magic made almost anything possible.

The brunette shook her head, she would not go back to using magic to make every problem in life go away.

Finally as the sun began slanting in the windows she roused herself from bed and got dressed for the day.

Having Emma there made her want something nicer than the simple dresses she wore these days, but anything more might clue the woman in to who she had been.

Regina wouldn't take the chance of being recognized, especially not with the fact that Emma was from the very kingdom where she had had gained her infamy.

She had no doubt that every child growing up there knew her name, even after all these years.

As she was twisting her hair up and pinning it Emma finally woke and looked up at her with a sleepy smile.

Goddess, what she wouldn't do to wake to that smile every morning.

A sharp pain lanced across her heart.

She had never truly regretted her past till now.

But looking into Emma's beautiful green eyes she knew, just knew, that she would lose the woman once her true identity was revealed.

Letting Emma go was going to be the hardest thing Regina had ever done.

Then again, what choice did she have?

If she used magic to make the woman stay Emma would grow to hate her, as she had hated her mother in the end.

And if she let the magic take over again she would become as coldly ambitious and incapable of love as her mother was.

She couldn't win this no matter how she choose.

*****Emma's POV*****

Emma saw the flash of pain in Gina's eyes and felt a thrill of fear over what it might be.

No matter who she had been in the past, this was not the evil queen she was looking at now, the queen wasn't capable of so much feeling, certainly wasn't capable of such emotion as Gina had shown her. She slipped out of bed and went to Gina, just holding her quietly.

After a while Gina laid a chaste kiss on her cheek and went to stir up something for breakfast.

Emma was at a loss for words.

She didn't know how to ask Gina, how to tell her that she suspected, and didn't care who she might have been in the past, that she wanted to try and make a future with her.

And bringing up Gina's past would open the door for questions about her and all the personal things that they had both avoided talking about, most specifically questions about her family . . .

What if Gina hated her when she found out that Emma was the daughter of her old nemesis?

Finally the blonde resolved to wait till she could figure out a better way of bringing up who each of them were, rather than just blurting it out and shocking the hell out of the woman.

When Emma emerged from the bedroom she found Gina cooking up a type of porridge with bits of cut up apple in it, the smell was enough to make her want to gnaw on the furniture.

Just then Gina turned around and caught sight of what must have been a nearly lustful look on her face.

"Well, I knew you liked apples, I just didn't realize how much" Gina said with a small smirk.

Shrugging and grinning sheepishly Emma replied.

"I think I might just be addicted to them now" Then the princess frowned.

"That's not necessarily a good thing though. It will be hard as hell getting them back home".

She knew that someone in the marketplace must sell apples, but as everyone there knew her on sight she wouldn't be able to just walk up and buy some.

The scandal of Snow White's daughter buying apples might even eclipse the one that would go through the town when they found out that the princess preferred women over men.

Those were sobering thoughts.

She knew that one day the truth of her preferences would come out, but, like telling Gina who she was, she just wasn't ready for that day to be today.

"Surely there must be a few places left in the kingdom where you can get apples?" Gina asked with a slight frown.

"There are" she answered truthfully "but my family wouldn't be so understanding".

That was the truth, as far as it went.

She could only hope Gina didn't ask any questions about her family that she couldn't answer without lying outright.

"So, your family are supporters of Queen Snow's?" Gina asked next.

Emma thought she heard disdain, or maybe derision, in Gina's tone as she asked the question.

"They believe that our queen knows what is best" she answered carefully.

Gina quirked an eyebrow "Your family does, but you don't?".

Of course the woman would pick up on Emma's careful wording.

"I believe the queen tries, but I also think that people should be able to decide for themselves what is best, at least in some matters"

The princess was thinking, not of apples, but of what her mother might do once she learned her only daughter loved women.

"What I mean is, telling people what they should or shouldn't eat? What purpose does that serve?"

Emma shook her head, thinking that there should be laws to protect people who loved those of the same gender.

The fact that there were no laws in their kingdom to that effect made her wonder, had her mother really never seen how her people treated those who were different in that way?

Snow White's kingdom was supposed to be the finest and fairest in the land, but Queen Snow had overlooked a few things.

Gina was cocking her head and studying Emma with an intensity that, in anyone else, would have frightened her.

"I just think that the people should be allowed to think for themselves more" she finished lamely.

Finally Gina shook her head "At least you know how to think for yourself Emma".

The princess didn't quite know how to take that comment so she let it alone as they sat down at the table to eat their breakfast.

*****Regina's POV*****

Saying that Emma knew how to think for herself had been the least offensive thing she had been able to think of.

What she had wanted to say on the other hand . . .

When Emma had spoken of Snow she had felt old resentments flare in her.

She had wanted to tell Emma what a selfish spoiled little fool her queen really was.

Regina wanted, for the first time, to tell someone the truth of her queen's history.

She wanted someone to understand that Snow had not been the only victim in their story.

But something held her back from telling the blonde what she really thought of Queen Snow.

Just a small inner voice that said her old bitterness wouldn't go over so well with the woman in front of her.

Mentally shaking her head Regina reminded herself of what needed to be done today.

Then she looked out of the window and knew that most of it would have to wait, there was a storm rolling in and it looked to be a bad one.

"Dear?, would you fetch our cloaks?" she said to Emma as she quickly rinsed out their dishes.

If they hurried they would just have time to check the traps and grab a few things from the garden before the rain set in to soak everything.

At least it promised to fill her rain barrel.

There would be plenty of water for baths she thought with a slightly wicked smile, she did love water sports.

When she turned and saw Emma the comment she had been about to make died on her lips.

Her cloak was a deep dark red, almost the same color as heart's blood.

The color was jarring, but it looked incredibly good with her fair skin and golden blonde hair.

"Is something wrong?" Emma asked, her brow furrowing.

"No, nothing is wrong" she licked her lips making the scar on the top lip stand out in bold relief for a moment.

Emma's gaze went immediately to Regina's mouth in a way that left no doubt she was thinking about kissing her.

"We should get going if we're to check the traps before the storm arrives" she said gesturing to the window where the storm clouds could already be seen to be darkening what should have been a bright morning.

"Let me help you with your cloak" Emma said with an all too innocent smile.

The blonde stepped behind her and raised her cloak, sliding it over Regina's shoulders with a gentle caress, then leaning close and kissing her neck.

Regina blew out an almost shaky breath and turned to face the woman who lit her world up like no other.

"Come dear, there will be plenty of time for us to . . . distract each other later"

The look in the former queen's eyes was a promise that the "distraction" would be well worth the wait.

As they stepped out of the cottage Regina was glad of the cool fall weather as it helped to cool the fire that was raging in her very blood.

Going to check traps for their dinner was the last thing she wanted to do right now, but it needed to be done.

However, if she had her way, the two of them would be headed straight back to bed.

It was a good thing she had excellent self control.

While they walked through the forest checking the traps that Regina set regularly she kept an eye on the approaching storm.

This one might just stick around while it spent all of its fury.

There was only one more trap to go and so far all they had to show for their trek were two rabbits.

At least they had enough other things at the cottage that Regina could make a very good stew from the rabbits.

When they neared the last trap Regina got quite a surprise.

There, stuck firmly, was a small wild boar.

The animal was obviously still quite young and Regina approached with caution, looking around for its mother.

This was easily one of the best catches she had ever gotten, as well as the biggest.

In fact, had the pig been any bigger, it would not have fit into the trap.

How long had it been since she had last had bacon?, Regina honestly couldn't remember.

As they started home she smiled, already planning how best to butcher their rare prize.

If she was careful with it she would get a decent sized roast, some bacon, and a few other choice cuts.

It made her glad she had built that small smoker behind the cottage, it would help make the pig last just a bit longer, as well as allowing her to have a small rare treat.

The rain descended on the forest just as they reached the edge of the garden.

Regina hurriedly deposited the rabbits and pig on the kitchen counter and then grabbed a basket, intent on getting a few things from the garden before it became too muddy to navigate the paths between the beds.

It was days like this that she regretted not having gathered or made paving stones for the garden.

Seeing that Emma was right behind her she called out to the blonde over the downpour and occasional thunder, giving her half the list of items she wanted from the garden before the storm got too bad.

Regina knew that storms like these could last for days on end and would easily keep them house bound till it was done.

She turned this way and that, trying not to bruise what she was grabbing in her haste.

By the time they were done and hurried inside both she and Emma were drenched, cloaks hung limply, water ran in rivulets and dripped from their noses, and hair was plastered against their foreheads and cheeks in stringy waves.

Seeing Emma like that reminded Regina again of just how beautiful the woman was and she found herself just staring for a long moment.

Finally finding her voice again she spoke into the silence.

"We need to get dry"

Emma nodded "And warm, warm would be good"

Regina nodded and set her basket down by the door before moving to the hearth to light a fire.

Her fingers were wet and nearly numb and she was oh so tempted to use magic to finish the task, but Emma might see and then she would know just who she was.

Finally she got the fire lit and started to feed a few smaller timbers into it to make the flames grow.

Just as she started to turn and rise the blonde laid a towel gently over her wet hair.

Sighing she leaned back against Emma for a moment, she really didn't deserve someone who was this good to her.

"Thank you dear one" she said quietly as she rose from her knees.

Drawing Emma against her she kissed her slowly, tenderly, and then headed for the bedroom and some dry clothes.

"What was THAT for?!" Emma called after her, sounding confused.

Peeking back around the door frame Regina answered "Do I need a reason?" then she turned back into the room with a satisfied smile that Emma couldn't see.

Regina was confused, but she was also so used to hiding things that she wouldn't let on to Emma, especially as the blonde was the cause of her confusion.

A moment ago she had nearly called Emma "my heart" and then changed it to "dear one" but it was still a more affectionate term than Regina had ever expected to use.

Besides, her heart was nearly black as coal, and her feelings for Emma were too pure to be compared to that all but worthless lump in her chest.

Honestly, she had never expected to feel this way about anyone ever again.

Not after what had happened with Daniel.

*****Emma's POV*****

Gina had been, up to that point, a fierce lover, but something had changed today.

When the brunette had called her "dear one" and then kissed her, Emma had felt a softness that hadn't been there before.

She wasn't entirely sure what had changed, but she definitely had her hopes.

It was as though the woman had finally decided that she didn't have to be strong around Emma, that it was okay to be soft, vulnerable, to show that she truly cared for her.

By the time Emma joined Gina in the bedroom the other woman was already pulling a soft warm burgundy gown over her head, she couldn't help being just a tad disappointed to have missed her chance to see the brunette naked.

Even though she saw Gina's body and held her in her arms every night while she was here she felt that she could never get enough of the woman.

As she passed Gina on the way to get herself something dry to put on she laid a gentle kiss on the brunette's shoulder hoping that she would understand the feeling behind the simple gesture.

She didn't turn around to see if Gina might be watching her as she peeled the wet clothing off of her body and rubbed at her cold limbs with a towel.

She thought she felt the other woman's gaze roaming over her bared body, but when she turned around after stepping into wool leggings and a long-sleeved tunic the room was empty.

Out in the main room of the cottage their cloaks had already been hung near the fire to help them dry faster and Gina was starting to skin the rabbits.

Once again Emma was grateful that her parents had seen to it she learned to hunt, among other things, so that she was able to help Gina in the little everyday tasks.

Of course, had she been useless at normal things like cooking Gina might not have believed that Emma was just a commoner.

Picking up a knife she moved to stand beside the other woman and started to clean and skin the second rabbit.

Side by side they worked in companionable silence, now and again sharing a smile.

It was nice that they didn't always have to talk to be comfortable with one another Emma thought as they worked.

Once Gina had cut the boar up into manageable portions she ducked out to put some of it into the smoker that sat behind the cottage.

Since Emma wasn't sure what her lover might have planned she simply waited for her to come back in.

Gina hadn't put all of the pig into the smoker and once she was back inside she pulled a small barrel out of one of the cupboards that doubled as a larder, leaning close she could see that it was full of salt.

She smiled, unlike many of the upper class she actually liked salt pork, most of the nobles she knew considered it beneath them, peasant food.

"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Gina looked up and gave her a warm smile "Put another log on the fire? The rain wont be letting up any time soon".

The blonde nodded "Sure thing, Gina".

Once she had done as Gina had asked she sat back on her heels in front of the fire to think.

She had almost asked the brunette how long she had lived in the Exile's Forest, but that question, like so many others, seemed stupid, and dangerous, when Emma was already almost certain of who Gina really was.

Assuming she was right, Gina had lived there for more than twenty years.

She wondered what, if anything, the former queen missed most about her old life.

Emma watched as Gina finished with the boar and then pulled out a basket and sat in the chair nearest her.

As she watched the brunette pulled out what looked to be a handful of stockings and prepared to mend them.

Gina had removed her shoes once she came back in from the smoker and now Emma scooted closer and pulled the woman's stocking clad feet into her lap, the brunette shot her a questioning glance but didn't pull away.

Without saying anything she gently began to massage her lover's feet and calves with long firm strokes, almost immediately Gina relaxed, all but melting against the back of her chair.

While Emma massaged Gina's feet she watched the pleasure on the woman's face and she thought about the things she had actually seen the woman do.

It was extremely difficult for her to reconcile the woman in front of her with the villain from her parent's stories.

The evil queen from their stories would not have been content sitting in a tiny cottage darning socks and getting a foot rub, yet that was exactly what she was doing.

This was NOT the same woman, something had changed her in the twenty-odd years of her exile.

Emma's natural curiosity was killing her.

She wanted to ask so many questions, everything from "do you still hold a grudge against Snow?" to "do you love me?", Emma desperately wanted to know and yet she was also dreading the answers to those questions.

But this was what love did to you, it twisted you up inside so that you weren't even sure of which way was up.

It made you happy and sad at the same time, and most of all terrified at the very thought that you might lose the person you loved.

When Emma had been a child the evil queen in the story had tried to kill Snow because Snow was more beautiful than she, now that Emma knew the woman she knew that there had to be another reason that Regina would try so long and hard to kill her mother.

Of course, there had been a few times in her life when she had thought she wanted to kill her mother too, so she wasn't ready to judge her Gina too quickly or too harshly.

*****Regina's POV*****

Emma's hands were definitely capable of working magic she thought as the blonde gave her one of the best foot massages she had ever had, and that included ones she had had when she was queen and would have punished the person for failing to give her a good massage.

She smiled thinking that it didn't matter where the woman touched her, it always felt incredible.

The woman definitely had talented hands.

When Emma finally stopped Regina opened her eyes and gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you my . . dear" she said hoping that she had covered her hesitation quickly enough that it wouldn't be noticed.

She had very nearly said "my love", and though she wasn't ready to expose her heart like that just yet, it was getting harder and harder to hide her slips.

She of all people knew that giving your heart to a person gave them the ultimate power to hurt you.

But she just wasn't ready.

When will you be ready? a small voice in the back of her mind asked.

That was a question she didn't know the answer to.

While the storm worsened outside the two of them found plenty to occupy them indoors.

Regina finished her mending pile and Emma sharpened her sword and oiled the string for her bow, an item she hadn't brought with her the first time.

The bow made Regina rethink her assessment that Emma was a commoner.

It was a fine piece of artisan craftsmanship, obviously well used and well cared for, it was also something the average peasant wouldn't be able to afford in a year.

It was possible that the bow had been handed down for a few generations, Regina wasn't altogether familiar with how such things weathered over the years, but it made her want to ask questions, the sort of questions they had both been avoiding.

Finally tapping into the willpower that had made her so powerful in her magic she pushed her questions and curiosity down deep, there would be time to ask these things later, that is if she found Emma was capable of loving her when she found out who Regina was.

Later, as they waited for the stew to be done, Regina looked around the cottage she had called home for more than twenty years.

The place really wasn't much to look at, but it was comfortable and not too hard to maintain, and more importantly, she had everything she really needed, but what did Emma see when she looked around?

She tried to see things through Emma's eyes.

The cottage really was tiny, being smaller even than a single apartment in the castle, and while it was clean and tidy, it was almost spartan in the lack of decoration.

If Emma was part of the upper classes, as Regina now suspected, this cottage must look quite poor indeed to her.

The only true thing of beauty here was the garden, and that too served a purpose, only the roses were a luxury.

But Emma didn't seem to mind about any of that.

Regina glanced over at Emma and found her staring into the fire pensively, she couldn't even begin to guess what the blonde might be thinking.

Finally she went to go check on the stew, it was almost done, and the bread she had made earlier was cool enough to cut now so she set about cutting the bread and getting out bowls so that they could eat.

Outside thunder boomed and Emma started, looking about and relaxing only when her eyes found Regina.

She gave the blonde an easy smile that the woman returned and then she went back to what she had been doing.

A moment later as she was filling bowls Emma came up behind her and slid her arms around her waist.

"That smells delicious" the blonde said softly just beside her ear.

"I would hope so, as long as I've been cooking rabbit stew" Regina answered with a smirk.

"Would you put these on the table?"

"Right" Emma replied, even though it was obvious she didn't know why Regina didn't do it herself.

While the blonde moved the food to the table Regina took the largest of her pots and filled it with rainwater before placing it over the fire to heat.

She was looking forward to bath time with Emma.

As they ate Emma glanced at the pot repeatedly, but she didn't ask why Regina seemed to be boiling a pot of water for nothing.

Of course, Regina had not yet gotten the bathing tub out either, she was hoping that hot baths would be a nice surprise.

When Regina gathered up the dishes to clean up Emma went into the bedroom to get something from her pack.

As quietly as she could Regina sat down what she was cleaning and went to the cupboard where she stored the bathing tub.

Luckily though the tub was large it was light in weight, having been formed from the lightest wood in their world, and with a small bit of magic involved in the making of it.

When she had first been exiled and come to live here Regina had had to wean herself off of the magic slowly because without it she hadn't known how to do even the simplest of tasks, let alone how to build a house to live in.

Admittedly, the cottage had been almost completely built by magic, but she had needed shelter, and she had needed it quickly as it had been the middle of winter when she was banished.

Emma emerged from the bedroom just as she was setting the tub down near the fire.

Regina turned just in time to see the blonde's face light up as she realized what Regina was preparing for them.

"Let me help you" Emma said rushing forward.

The brunette smiled "It's not as heavy as it looks, but you can help me fill it".

Regina handed the woman a bucket and she went to fill it from the rain barrel while Regina moved to retrieve the pot of hot water from the fire.

Once the tub was full Regina refilled the pot and put it back on the fire for when the water in the tub started to cool.

Finally she went and got the soap out and a couple of towels.

As they stood beside the tub Emma looked over at her.

"So, who goes first?"

Regina gave her a wide dazzling smile "You do, dear"

At that Emma gave a rather indelicate snort and retorted "You just want to get me naked again"

Regina's smile widened "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Emma simply shook her head and reached for the hem of her tunic, a wry smile firmly fixed on her face.

She might never get enough of the twinkle in the blonde's eyes when she was teasing, even if she lived to be a thousand.

As she watched the blonde finish undressing and step lightly into the tub Regina realized that she never wanted to let Emma go, the realization scared her to her very core.

When Emma reached for the wash cloth and soap Regina took them first a wicked smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

"Let me, dear one"

Emma's eyes widened slightly as she realized just what Regina was up to.

Soaping the cloth generously she started at Emma's feet, grinning when the blonde jerked and laughed, she hadn't known Emma was ticklish.

Slowly she worked her way up the woman's legs, ignoring the way Emma bit her lip and all but held her breath as Regina got closer to her most intimate parts.

Truthfully the whole lip biting thing was driving her a little nuts, she wanted to be the one biting the blonde's lips, and making her moan, and eventually scream . . .

Regina shook her head at herself mentally, that line of thinking would not let her draw out the pleasure in this for both of them, and that was what she really wanted right now, to take their time and savor each others bodies.

Meeting Emma's gaze she purposely avoided the woman's core by moving her hand to the outside and giving her hip a firm squeeze.

Emma almost whimpered in frustration and Regina had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

Moving her hand in a sensuously slow path across the woman's stomach she forced herself to ignore all the usual erotic spots.

The blonde groaned and then turned her head and kissed Regina as she moved behind her to wash her back.

There was just something that was both hopelessly erotic and completely tender about bathing someone, she didn't know if it was the way the water glistened on her lover's skin, or the fact that the woman had given herself over completely to whatever Regina wanted to do to her.

She had intentionally left Emma's breasts for last and now she would allow herself just a little bit of playfulness.

As Regina reached to soap the blonde's breasts she "accidentally" dropped the wash cloth so that it was her bare fingers that met perky taught nipples.

Emma's breath went out of her in a long whoosh as Regina gently teased and pinched her nipples.

At this point Regina doubted that Emma could have stopped herself from crying out had she tried.

Then she leaned forward and licked at the plump, excited little nipple in front of her.

Emma twisted a hand in her hair and held her tight to her breast as Regina licked and sucked the taught peak.

While Emma clutched her tight to her chest Regina trailed one hand down the blonde's body and cupped her mound.

Emma arched, pressing herself into Regina's hand, begging for more even as she moaned from what Regina's mouth was doing to her nipple.

Wanting to hear the blonde scream out her pleasure Regina traced a finger along the seam of her lower lips, Emma whimpered but that wasn't nearly enough for her.

Finally Regina thrust two fingers in and dragged them back and forth before sinking them as deep into her lover as she could, Emma screamed as her fingers hit that one spot inside that triggered orgasm.

Keeping her fingers firmly in place Regina pulled Emma against her so that the woman's thrashing wouldn't cause her to hurt herself.

Applying pressure and moving her fingers in circles Regina whipped Emma into a frenzy of pleasure so great that the woman's body vibrated like a tuning fork and her screams nearly drowned out the thunder of the storm that was raging outside.

And when the woman went limp she pulled her gently from the tub and wrapped a towel around her so that she wouldn't catch cold before she could move to get one herself.

She would have taken Emma and put her into bed, but she just wasn't strong enough physically and she refused to use magic that would expose her for who she was.

When Emma finally began to rouse from her bliss Regina emptied a couple of buckets full from the tub and added more boiling water from the pot so that she could have her bath.

As Regina sat down in the tub and picked up the wash cloth Emma tucked her towel tightly around her and took the cloth from her hands.

Chocolate brown eyes met greenish gold and the brunette smirked an openly playful challenge at the blonde.

Emma's smile widened as she soaped the cloth between her hands.

Then the blonde brought the wash cloth to Regina's breast and the smirk died on her lips as she gasped realizing that the woman intended to play this the opposite way she had, and go straight for the kill . . .


End file.
